London airports, trains disrupted by extreme weather

LONDON (AP) — Tourists and Britons hoping to go on vacation are enduring another day of travel trouble in Britain after severe weather led to flight cancellations and delays on cross-Channel trains. A week of extreme heat gave way to thunderstorms Friday, touching off travel delays on Saturday.

Cars at a standstill as they queue for the Eurotunnel in Folkestone, southern England, as some miles of traffic wait to make their way to the cross-Channel services, with warnings of delays up to five hours, Thursday July 26, 2018. Temperatures are expected to hit around 35C (95 Fahrenheit) today as the heatwave continues across the UK. (Gareth Fuller/PA via AP)

Traffic queue for the Eurotunnel in Folkestone, south east England, Friday July 27, 2018. Britain sweltered through the hottest day of the year Thursday, as an unusual heatwave wreaked havoc on transport and hospitals. The Cross-Channel rail operator cancelled thousands of tickets after "extreme temperatures" caused major disruption to services. (Gareth Fuller/PA via AP)

A man soaks up the sun in Regent's Park, London, Friday, July 27, 2018. Britain is experiencing a severe heatwave which has prompted its national weather service to issue an alert for people to 'stay out of the sun'.

People enjoy the Bournemouth beach in Dorset, England, as the hot weather continues across Britain. Britain is experiencing a severe heatwave which has prompted its national weather service to issue an alert for people to 'stay out of the sun'. (Andrew Matthews/PA via AP)

A view from Primrose Hill shows parched grass and cracked soil from the lack of rain during what has been the driest summer for many years in London, Wednesday, July 25, 2018. Britain is experiencing a severe heatwave which has prompted its national weather service to issue an alert for people to 'stay out of the sun'.

Joggers run past parched grass from the lack of rain on Primrose Hill during what has been the driest summer for many years in London, Wednesday, July 25, 2018. Britain is experiencing a severe heatwave which has prompted its national weather service to issue an alert for people to 'stay out of the sun'.

A view of Primrose Hill shows parched grass and cracked soil from the lack of rain during what has been the driest summer for many years in London, Wednesday, July 25, 2018. Britain is experiencing a severe heatwave which has prompted its national weather service to issue an alert for people to 'stay out of the sun'.

July 28, 2018

Budget airline Ryanair says Friday night's thunderstorms, along with air traffic control staff shortages, led to 14 cancelled flights at Stansted Airport. Other London-area airports — Luton, Gatwick and Heathrow — also warned of delays.

Nats, the UK air traffic control service, says the unpredictable nature of the storms means aircraft are not able to fly their usual routes. The service says the thunderstorms "effectively block large swathes of airspace because aircraft cannot fly through them."

Eurotunnel passengers faced a third day of disruption on the cross-Channel service.